Winning Willow
by Kiauna Gray
Summary: Willow Lovell Woods heads to New York to study abroad. Happy without her soulfinder and trying to ignore the only blood related family she has, Willow reconnects with her old friend Crystal Brook. When a certain someone enters her life, little does she know he is as reluctant to be with her as she is to be with him. But why?
1. Chapter 1

"Get in here Miss Lovell Woods!"

With a slight sigh, I hopped up from the couch in the basement games room and headed towards the kitchen on the opposite side of this floor. The scent of just baked bread filled the wide space and our cook/ cleaner/ just awesome nanny Verity had some of it on a plate in the centre island for me.

"Eat, before the boys get it all"

"Do I have to?"

"I have coleslaw and ham, fresh this morning Miss"

"Sold" I replied with a grin. Verity knew the whole families favourites without ever directly asking any of us. And she was not the one with the photographic memory, something my two older brothers envied me from time to time. While I was no Kim Peek, I have a pretty good memory for someone with no physical or mental impediments.

With that, I sat down and polished off the food, half to satisfy Verity and half for myself, flicking through a cookbook that was out. Memorising cookbooks was boring and I regretted not bringing my "Guide to Intermediate level Russian" with me. I had sixteen languages under my belt, my favourite thing to memorise as there were always new words, new expressions individual to each language. But bringing dictionaries the width of my midsection to college had drawn stares in the past so that was bedtime reading.

Finally after insisting I had one of her cinnamon and raisin muffins, I managed to escape, yelling back to her I heard Rydian calling for me. He was technically my oldest brother being that I was adopted from the age of four. The woman I called and thought of as "mom" was my actual mother's best friend from college. My mother had put her as my godmother though I doubt she ever foresaw me needing one. But when she found out she had pancreatic cancer along with cancer in her spinal cord and hip, she knew she would be gone. She had been a savant, giving her the ability to gift or terrorise people with dreams that could actually influence their decisions if needs be. So had my father, her soulfinder. But she was the strength in the relationship and soon after her death, my father figured it was best I go and live with Olivia Woods, my adoptive mother. He was grief stricken. I still had every line of his grief memorised, pain unimaginable even at twenty one years old.

We still spoke and met up every few months. But I knew little of his life. Once or twice, we went on holiday but my most vivid memories of those were his disconcerting glances in my direction. I knew I looked like Her. Thick curly blonde hair, a narrow frame, high cheekbones and the same way of smiling. The only thing I inherited from him was his height, putting me at 5ft 11 by the age of fifteen. I was just about 6ft now. Because of this, I had long ago decided I never wanted to meet my soulfinder.

So anyway our relationship was strained. But I loved him and I knew he loved me. Yes, we do love each other I thought doubtfully as I climbed the antique stairs to the main floor. I swear, the longer I stayed here, the more I wanted to be an antique interior designer. The warm, woodsy feeling of this three storey country manor made it feel like it had been my home forever. Wood panelled walls shone and the floors had thick rugs strewn on them nearly everywhere. Tulips from the nearby fields were in various vases around the house that even as adults, neither I nor my brothers were allowed to touch. The front door was actually on the second storey, the main floor, above what we called the basement, which only got its name because the front doors were a level up, reached by beautiful stone stairs.

After a mere year and a half, the house was home to everyone, including myself, despite spending a lot of time in campus accommodation the past year with school. With my photographic memory, acing all my exams had been easy and getting into a great college simple. It was nearly embarrassing sitting there finished with an hour or more to spare in some exams. So I rechecked everything and drew the corrector the best doodles they would probably see. Or well, best dinosaur doodles (I had been reading an archaeology book the night before the first exam. I also wanted something that would snatch up at least ten minutes so dinosaurs it was). So I picked an English literature and history programme, figuring the heavy workload might test this practically inhuman memory. Nope. Sad thing was, it was not even my savant ability.

On finishing my dash upstairs I figured I might as well head to Tulip's house a little early. She was my best friend when I moved first to Amsterdam, living just two miles away. In the vast expanses of countryside, I considered this pretty close. It was six miles to the nearest shop which was the only reason I had bothered learn to drive. In our previous city home in the capital of England, nearly everything was within walking distance. And with a bus stop no more than a few minutes away, I was in no rush to even get a licence until the news came that a move to Amsterdam was in our future.

To be honest, none of us minded the move. Rydian, who is the oldest at 26, had finished university in England and having studied several different languages, he could live anywhere. Clarke decided to finish college in Scotland and joined us out here to do post graduate studies. Everyone in the family had at least three languages as our parents decided to have us be taught the most useful business languages from a young age. That was how they noticed my photographic memory and ease at learning. Which meant going to a prestigious boarding school at 12 on a full scholarship in Cheltenham where I met my first savant friend by sheer accident. More on that in a minute.

But Tulip also happened to be savant, having the ability to discover illnesses that could be years from manifesting. She could essentially know the current and future health of a body, spotting illnesses such as cancer's, Alzheimer's and arthritis that no machine could detect yet. The two of us met in college, her studying medicine, meeting when I spilled a smoothie onto her shoes. Today was a get together with friends before we submitted where we wanted to study abroad until Christmas. I grabbed my shoulder bag with the sheets and locations to be submitted in it, yanked on my sandals that were by the front door and headed out into the early July sunshine. I headed down to the garage on the right of the house, wheeled my bike out and before long I was passing fields of tulips, roses, cherry blossom trees and sunflowers. In some fields, tents accommodated the out of season flowers while others decorated the landscape beautifully. The joys of living near a flower exporter and producer.

Tulip was stretched out sunning herself in her vast front lawns when I got to her place. I saw her open one eye lazily on my approach and groaned.

"Go away Willow or I shall set my mutt on you"

"Your "mutt" is fast asleep over there. Great guard dog you got."

"Aaarrgh" she moaned as she shoved herself off the deck chair, stumbling blearily as she tried to pull on her vest top and shorts over her bikini. "You were meant to come in like a frigging half hour! I thought I had time to sleep off the mysteries of whatever the hell we got up to last night."

"Ah Tools. I could just not wait to get the glowing reception I always receive on entering your lovely company" I replied cheerfully. She glared at me and picked up the bag by her deck chair. Ah Tulip. I knew no one else who changed their name just to spite their parents in a fit of adolescent annoyance. Strangely, no one, not even her parents, could think of her as Hannah any more. I only ever knew her as Tulip so Tulip it was.

She stretched and yawned. "Going to get my bike. Will be with ya in a sec. K?"

"Potassium" I called after her sweetly. She should have realised by now that every time she used text language around me she would be assaulted with what "K" actually freaking stood for. The joys of being friends with me!

After she dragged her bike out, looking at me like I murdered a puppy, we set off on the main road at the end of her drive. We both sweat through the settling heat in silence until we reached a wheat field on the right. I pulled in, hopping neatly off my bike and undid the weathered chain that kept the old wood gate closed to this field.

"Meet you down there loser" Tulip called over her shoulder as she sped through the opened gate. I swore. Hastily I dragged my bike in, re-chained the gate and sped after her. Even though she was carrying wine in her bag, which I instructed her to bring, she flew through the tractor flattened wheat with no care. It was an age old tradition. Whoever got down there last had to buy the wine for next time, at the choice of the winner. After I made her spend a small fortune on three bottles of wine for today, I knew that I would be buying vintage if I did not beat her ass down there.

The sun nearly blinded me as I flew after her, spitting bits of wheat out as I was whacked in the face by my lack of talent in steering half straight. The field was about the length of a football pitch and as we came nearer to our destination, the field began to slope down towards a small river. Here was a clearing, half surrounded by trees, bushes and other plants. Tulip had stumbled upon it a few years ago and had let only those she liked down to her ready-made paradise.

"I….. Am….. Winning" Tulip coughed out, wheezing in between each word. I felt myself grin. I was not even out of breath and still hot on her tail.

"I BEAT BOTH YOUR ASSES!" yelled a voice. Someone else whooped and they both laughed. Cam and Lucian were both down by the river already it seemed.

"I win!" Tulip squealed as she hit the dirt line dug in just before the field sloped down nearly vertically. I swore, much to my "friends" enjoyment. Tossing down my bike as I stopped behind her, I skidded down to the river after her. I skidded too quick and Lucian half caught me before I stumbled head first into the table and foldout chairs put out.

"I want white wine next time" Cam said from his seat, opening one eye to have a look. "Payment for all my mighty work."

"It took you an afternoon two years ago to slap that table together with your older brother" Sherry called out. Moments later, she slipped down and joined us, tossing her bag of food into Cams lap. He barely caught it and the force flung him back, out of his foldout chair. His dumbfounded expression as he clutched the bag set us off.

"For the love of….. Do not throw him the wine Tools" Lucian said, clutching me to his chest as we both half died of laughter. Blinking through my tears, I only could see Sherry keeled over in the dirt, her mop of dyed red hair shaking as she laughed.

"Ooooh, you brought crisp sandwiches!" Cam said, delight on his impish face, his messy blonde hair falling into his face as he rooted through the bag.

"Let me put that out" I coughed, Tulips giggles nearly setting me off again. "Sit down and let me put out the stuff. Tonight we have work to do!"

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><p><strong>Hi, author person here! <strong>

**In this chapter I tried to set up the story so it is a tad longer than future chapters. It starts in the summer after Diamond and Traces winter wedding.**

**I will be changing one or two tiny things just to fit the story (I mean tiny! Teeny weeny. Swear). I will be referring to Seeking Crystal and a fair few of the Benedict clan will be making appearances! **

**Please, please, pretty please review! Good or bad (I will not growl). This is my first fanfic so I want to improve!(Favourite or follow if you like it too. They motivate me to update! Like rreeaalllyyy quickly. Ok shutting up now).**


	2. Chapter 2

"So where are you thinking about heading Cam for the study abroad thing?" I asked through a mouthful of toffee popcorn, music from his portable iPod dock creating a cheery mood in the late afternoon sun.

"I was thinking about Madrid in Spain" he replied. "Have to learn Spanish from its homeland. In a few months, I will be the best Spanish teacher ever! Plus the amount of girls stripped down to swimwear from that heat…" Sherry smacked him for me. Sherry, Lucian and Cam were all human, each having their own "gift" so to speak. Cams was dumb-assness Tulip had long ago decided while Sherry was a charmer when she wanted to be and Lucian being sharp, aware of everything. Tulip and I long ago suspected he knew we were different but probably thought we would say he was nuts if he ever brought it up.

"You guys still thinking about New York?" Lucian asked Tulip and I. We gave each other a look. Both of us had been speaking excitedly about the study abroad a while ago and Lucian had made us say at the same time where we wanted to go after a dozen "No you go firsts". When we both half screamed "New York" simultaneously in our excitement, he had to clamp his hands over his ears as we squealed, both delighted the other wanted to go there too.

"Well, I was thinking Italy. I have enough Italian to do me there and I have a cousin studying there actually. She can show me all the hotspots" Sherry said with a wink, taking a mouthful of wine.

"Hey, I have a friend living in Italy. Venice I think. We went to the same school in England but she was a year behind me. She told me the fees were insane if you did not get in based on academic records or with the help of any form of scholarship" I said. "Her name is Crystal Brook."

"Oh her. You mentioned her to me before" Tulip said, giving me a knowing look. I had told her that Crystal was a savant too and I knew she had wanted to meet her sometime. But Crystal and I spoke only seldom now, one or two times a month, physical distance making it hard to keep in touch.

"Geese it would be great to have an excuse to go on an escapade down to Venice! Can you get in touch with her?" Sherry said, an excited glint in her blue eyes. "You brought your phone, right?"

Lucian tossed me his phone across the table of food, knowing I would never bring my new iPhone down here. "Use mine" he said as he picked up a cold sausage roll. "I have free calls abroad for the next…" he paused, the math nearly visibly being done in front of him, "… Four days. Wherever she is, you can catch her."

"Thanks" I said. They all knew I would have no trouble remembering the number so I tapped it in as I drank my wine. Lucian challenged Tulip and Cam to balancing a grape on their nose the longest while Sherry just rolled her eyes, absent-mindedly twisting her nose stud. At least I might have them quiet as I waited for Crystal to pick up.

"Put it on loudspeaker" Sherry said, now twisting one of her ear piercings. I mouthed "Potassium" which got me a grin.

"Hello?" a slightly confused Crystal said. Probably thinking she had the phone covered, I heard her whisper "Should I have picked up? I have no clue who the heck this is!"

"Cupcake, you covered the wrong part of the phone."

I started sniggering down the phone as I let out "Crystal, um, Willow here. Not an evil maniac who calls random numbers in the hope of seducing well-travelled ladies."

"Oh my….. Willow!" Crystal cried over the sound of someone laughing in the background. I heard a noise followed by a long stream of expletives and then an overly sweet "How are you Willow? We have so much to catch up on."

"Definitely. But I have got to ask you something first. You know my friend Sherry? Red hair, pierced more than a biker, chews gum with her mouth wide open." I said loudly, half for Sherry's benefit. She simply raised an eyebrow but kept quiet.

"Yep."

"Well, we all, Sherry, Cam, Lucian, Tulip and I are all applying to study abroad until Christmas. And Sherry is going to apply to study in Italy. I wonder could you show her around Venice sometime, ya know if you have the time." I bit my lip.

"Well… Did I not tell you...? Geese I must not have. Well I think I told you a few months ago, like in May or April, that I was applying to a design school in New York and Xav was trying to get into a medical school there." Crystal said, dragging in the curiosity of Cam, Lucian and Tulip who had given up trying to balance grapes anywhere on their faces. "Well, with my work and references from Signora Carriera, I got in! They did not give two you know whats about my academic record! I had so much to show them and whatnot I got in! And Xav got into a school in New York too." Crystal squealed, her excitement spreading to all of us here.

"Go Crystal!" Cam yelled. "And your man!"

"WILLOW! Am I on speaker? I swear…"

"Let her off, share the love." Tulip cried dramatically down the phone and began to sing a cheesy celebration song down the phone. Note: Tulip singing causes her dog, Pineapple, to whine and howl, similar to the sounds he made when Tulips mom ran over his front legs a few years ago.

"Wait" Tulip said, abruptly stopping her celebration. We all looked at her in confusion; even Xavier and Crystal were silent. "Oh my flipping frog balls, Willow and I are heading to New York for our study abroad!"

In anticipation, Lucian clamped his hands over his ears as we squealed. He looked smug as Sherry and Cam winced when Crystal joined in on the squealing. "Well looks like no sherry for my Sherry on a gondola" Cam said. I barely registered the glare Sherry threw him

"I will call you later" Crystal said after five minutes. "We have to talk accommodations and the like. I cannot wait to see you. Make sure you apply for New York ASAP, ok?"

"Grand, better give Lucian back his phone anyway. Talk to ya soon" I said and we disconnected. I tossed Lucian back his phone, mouthing "thanks" over the playful abuse Cam and Sherry flung at one another. We only bothered stop them when the two of them, grappling like a young brother and sister, ended up in the river. True the shock of the cold water pretty much stopped them but I think we sound like better friends if I said that Tulip, Lucian and I bravely broke them apart in the icy water of the ferocious river. To be honest, it would be hard to wet your shins in most parts of it.

We eventually finished off the food, Cam blinking back fatigue and nausea no doubt after deciding to eat a tube of crisps in three minutes after I bet him a fiver. I was out of a fiver but I was not the one turning slightly green in the dimming evening light. Eventually we packed up, stashing the chairs under thick bushes, and climbed up to our bikes. Sherry and Cam came in Sherry's brother's truck and offered to take Lucian and his bike home as they were headed the same way. We parted ways with Sherry being heard over the rev of the engine saying "I swear if you throw up in here…."

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><p>Tulip and I ended up walking the bikes home most of the way, smart as it mostly uphill the way back. The softening light gave the few flowers lining the sides of the road a surreal beauty, giving a sweet look to the bushes on either side of the road.<p>

"I am so going to miss all this beauty when we head to New York" Tulip sighed, running one hand through the long grass on one side of the road, gripping her bike with the other.

"Hey, New York might be a different kind of beauty. Urban, man-made beauty. A city that never stops has its own mystery like the flower fields here do" I said, realising how much of an English student I sounded just there.

"I guess" Tulip sighed. "I think I just might miss the predictability of the country's- RAT!" In a flurry she dropped her bike and ran behind me. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!"

"You should be glad your mother is not around" I said as I calmly walked over to the mouse. It darted away and I rolled my eyes. "I prove for the millionth time that it is more scared of you than you are of it. I seriously would not want my life in your hands Tools."

"Oh ha ha ha….. It is gone right?"

"Pick up that bike before I reconsider who I am studying abroad with for four months."

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><p><strong>Author person here again. <strong>

**Review, favourite, follow (particularly review. I want to know what you humanoids think of this!) Pretty please!**

**And since I got reviews, favourites and follows for the first chapter (I actually clapped with excitement when I saw 4 followers. Sad yet true) I have given you the second chapter! After two days!**

**(In case you did not know who Kim Peek was from the previous chapter (and did not just google him immediately) he was a man with an incredible memory and an actual savant. And no, I did not find him by typing "savant" into google. I was actually looking for stuff on how good memories work!)**


	3. Chapter 3

We all submitted our study abroad applications by the start of July and spent the rest of the summer pretty much doing whatever we wanted. I mostly mastered Russian but finding Russian films to test it on was difficult. I ended up buying three half current ones online, two of which were now in my worst-films-of-all-time-list. Rydian joined me for the best of the lot in the games room one night but I think that was mostly because Verity said she was only making her amazing pecan pastries for people who were inflicting Russian cinematography on themselves (she had heard my reviews of the other two over scones the past two mornings).

Tulip ended up hooking up with an English guy who was staying in the local town thirty kilometres away. It was ill-fated from the beginning considering a) He was there for four days with a tour group and b) the guy wore skinnier jeans than Sherry when she went to rock concerts. I seriously did not get how any decent, straight guy wore pants that revealed _that _much.

We, Cam, Lucian, Sherry, Tulip and I, met up by the river at least once a week and the more wine bought by the loser, the more unmentionable things that went down in "Truth or Dare". By mid August, everyone had made out with everyone else at least once. A classic dare for when the wine stunted the imagination. We ate, drank and talked about whatever was happening in our lives. But now we were talking about packing, apartments and googling cheap places to eat in New York, Rome, Madrid and London. Crystal had headed out to New York at the start of August and was staying there with Xavier in a spare room in the home of a savant who owed a favour to her older sister, Diamond. She wanted to see the various types of apartments available so no one could "bullshit" (her word, not mine) her over the internet or the phone. Xavier pretty much went wherever she wanted and vice versa so I got more than one phone call from him, play pleading with me to "take" him "away from the demon lady". Or at least I was pretty sure he was play pleading. He really abused the power of the "call me if there is an emergency" condition of me giving him my phone number.

But they were looking for an apartment building where Tulip and I could live near them. Preferably in the same building and not break our bank accounts in the process. So far, about half way into August, they were not lucky and my stories tended to focus on the lack of perfect accommodation when we gathered down by the river.

But then, sometime in the third part of August, Crystal came through. I think Xavier was more delighted, being he was the one who had walked through at least a dozen different apartments while Crystal found faults with them all. Crystal had sounded ecstatic as she found two apartments in a modest enough, oldish building in a decent part of the city. She was slightly sheepish, an oddity for her, when she said that Xavier had called dibs on the apartment on the top floor of the six storey building. Tulip and I would be living a floor lower but I think I preferred not having access to an attic space. It was a bit creepy and who knew what was living up there?

The minute she called and gave us a quick run down on it, Tulip thankfully had been hanging out with me in the basement at the time playing on the playstation, we number one screamed like the girls we are and two, then ordered her to give us contact details so we could put our names down for it. I think we both knew that the apartment must be pretty decent if it passed what Xavier called the "Nit picker list" of Crystal's terms.

I could practically feel the relief surrounding us all when we both got the apartments without too much hardship. It was pure luck to even get them within days of our flights out. Lucian, Sherry, Cam, Tulip and I celebrated with Lucian's mother's whiskey that night down by the river, even though Cam was flying out the next afternoon to Madrid. He swore on his dead budgies life that he was all packed and that he would not drink so much that you could catch anything off his breath tomorrow. It would be only him that would probably try to sweet talk the security staff by talking about the fancy as heck whiskey he drank the night before in an attempt to impress them. And probably then try to convince them he was sober.

"To my amigos" Cam called out to the dark sky and us. "While they may try to stop me drinking the best whiskey Lucian has ever brought down here tonight, I love them. And that counts as I am still sober." He belched. "I think."

Lucian rolled his eyes but smiled with the rest of us. "I have no idea how I will ever enjoy London without you bro." Lucian said.

"I have no idea either." Cam said, draining the last of his plastic picnic cup. "Awesomeness like this deserves to be international so I might make it my job to visit London pretty soon."

"Ok we lost the toast vibe so let me start it again. Cam, you have my permission to half fill your cup for it." Sherry said. With that, she gave a genuine smile. "To us and whatever lies before us. That being not homelessness for a certain two girls and hopefully soberness to the guy who put way more than half a cup of beer in that cup."

"To us" we all yelled. We all said our goodbyes, unofficially calling this our last night down here for a while. Lucian gave me a tight hug and I felt him bury his face in my hair. With that we all split ways.

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><p>"Where is my passport?" was my welcome to Tulips house the morning of the flight to New York. I next to never lost anything so I had to smile. This exclamation was promptly followed by "Crap, crap, crap! My phone mom! Where is it? I had it like two seconds ago!"<p>

"Check your back pocket" I called out to her as I let myself into her kitchen. "Hi Evelien."

"Hi Willow dear" she replied, a small smile on her lips as she drank her morning coffee at the large island table in the kitchen. It was half seven in the morning but Tulips mother looked perfect, her blonde hair carefully turned in above her suit clad body. I did not even see red lipstick marks on her coffee cup despite the sharp red colour on her perfectly shaped lips. She seemed the polar opposite to Tulip who was running around, throwing random things into her carry on. Using my telekinesis, I helped fling a few snacks for the plane into her bag. I remembered where everything was and so simply opened cabinets mentally and then physically opened them if I thought there could still be snack food there.

"Well, Willow, I am sure the two of you can find your own way to the airport. I have to head. Work awaits." Evelien said, placing her coffee cup in the sink. She gave my head a playful pat, despite my height, before heading out the door.

"I swear she wishes you were her daughter sometimes." Tulip muttered as she opened a cabinet beneath the sink. I bit my lip from smiling. I had to admit, Tulip had a point. Her mother was a translator and usually spent her time translating books so she did not have to move around but helped elsewhere too. Her savant ability allowed her to understand any language. I wanted Russian perfected before I played with her ability and Evelien smiled when she got to tell me if I messed up. This was rare so she loved to have long conversations with me to catch me out. Tulip often just left the room when this happened.

"Well, you can tell her to head off to the hospital if you spot anything. She could owe you her life someday." I pointed out.

"Touché." Tulip nodded. "Right, lets go."

I could not stop my sigh at this. It would take at least four if not five trips to drag all of her luggage out to my brother Rydian's SUV. The thing was huge and we had to pick Rydian up on the way so he could drop it home afterwards. He had stayed the night in town and I just did not feel up to the tales of his exploits at this hour.

Nevertheless I endured Tulips wailing "Did I remember –insert random item that is apparently essential here-?" every two minutes and Rydian's deeds that would have mom ground him even though he was twenty six and officially moving out in a month when the job he was offered became available at the end of September. Tulip filled him in that he had low iron levels and should probably take something as he should be feeling it by now and Rydian turned up the radio louder, yelling he might do something if he felt like it later.

He left us outside the airport after grabbing us some trolleys for our stuff and unceremoniously kissed the top of my head and gave us both a hug goodbye. It took a full forty two seconds before I could feel any form of a pulse on my wrist. I was that stunned.

And after stocking up on enough sweet things to replace our blood with sugar, we boarded the plane. This was after I convinced Tulip not to scream "Terrorist!" as the plane lifted off. She got four bubblegum flavoured lollipops off me to shut her up. I had a feeling "arrested for faking an incident of international safety concerns" would not help either of us trying to get jobs in the future.

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><p><strong>Hello humans! <strong>

**I have updated! I meant to a day or two ago but I was irritated after my bus home from college was full and I had to wait for nearly an hour for another, after already waiting half an hour for the first one! I figured I would rant here if I updated that night. Or make Willow rant. With a lot swear words *gasp*. So I hope you liked this chapter.**

**Anyway, I hope you are enjoying this and pretty please review! (And favourite and follow if you like it!)**


	4. Chapter 4

Truth be told, faking a terrorist attack might have eased the boredom of such a long flight. I was just about to suggest this to Tulip when I remembered Crystal's soulfinder was a Benedict, which should be written after "do-gooder" in the dictionary. I honestly considered in a fit of boredom asking a flight attendant for a dictionary to see whether a) do-gooder was actually in the dictionary and b) If it was, call up whoever made the dictionary and demand they replace its definition with "Benedict."

I had my book on mandarin Chinese in my luggage because of its huge size so perfecting that language was out of the question. In desperation I considered reading one of the half dozen magazines Tulip had brought. I dismissed that quickly and decided to, in a fit of genius, crush a dozen mints on my little table in the aeroplane. Then, using a bobby pin, I created little pictures until I noticed a third flight attendant give me a funny look. Geese, had they not seen me when I was smashing the mints up with the end of my lipstick?

I eventually remembered the book app on my phone and read a book I had downloaded but never got around to reading. I left the mint powder on my table figuring if they saw me eating it with the plastic spoon I had with a yogurt earlier, I would be carted off into the evil secret lair they have on all planes, better known as the place they store aeroplane "food".

Eventually we landed in America. On the way to get our luggage I gave Crystal a quick ring. "Hello cupcake. We have landed." I said as soon as she picked up, quickly turning on loudspeaker to hear her over the sounds of the passengers chatting excitedly.

"Fuck you. Anyway, we are waiting for you guys so get your asses out here asap." Crystal replied "lovingly" before hanging up.

"Such a sweetheart, I think we will get along beautifully." Tulip practically purred. After a good twenty minutes we had all our suitcases, an embarrassingly large amount compared to most passengers. The fact that people seemed to start to recognise Tulips canary yellow luggage as it came out did not really surprise me.

We eventually hauled all of our luggage onto a squeaky cart, creaking and croaking despite its glistening appearance as I moved it. After coaxing probably the worst cart we could have possibly picked out to where I assumed Crystal was waiting, my arms were on fire. "Why lift weights when you can just go to an airport and play?" I muttered sullenly as Tulip strolled ahead, only rolling along one of her suitcases and carrying our hand luggage.

"I think that is them," Tulip murmured under her breath. Sure enough, two people towered over the majority of the crowd. And they were holding the biggest poster board the shop probably had with "Get your asses over here WILLOW and TULIP" written on it. I nearly died of mortification. More than one parent gave them dirty looks as Xavier held the poster high above the crowd.

"Can we pretend not to know them?" I murmured back.

"WILLOW!" Crystal screamed much too loudly. I felt at least a dozen eyes cast my long, narrow frame a glance. Oh geese. This many tall people would look comical combined with the blinding colour of normal sized Tulip's luggage. We reluctantly made our way over to them and Crystal gave me a hug while I half introduced them to Tulip.

"Hi Xavier and Crystal," Tulip said extremely politely. I actually gave her a side glance.

"Xav. Only my mother calls me Xavier and then I know I'm in trouble. Xavier is only ever followed by a small ball of fury who really should not be underestimated." Xav replied, rubbing the back of his head. I could bet a thousand dollars there and then as to where his punishment was doled out.

"Xav then." I said with a smile.

"Shoot, we missed the big reunion." an English accent said, laced with annoyance. A petite somewhat elfish girl came up to us and turned to me. "Phoenix, nice to meet you."

My confusion must have been obvious as Xavier interjected with "My sister in law. Who insisted on finding a McDonald's and whose own fault it was they were not here to meet you and Tulip."

Phoenix rolled her eyes as yet another tall person joined our ranks. Glasses gave him a look of authority and seriousness Xavier currently lacked. He carried two or three giant McDonald's bags. "Yves Benedict, nice to be of your acquaintance." he said, giving a half wave with the bags.

"You too Clark Kent." Tulip said with a raised eyebrow. When I gave him a second look, I saw the resemblance and could not help grinning. Broad shouldered and intelligent looking, he could nearly double for Clark. Phoenix snickered so I had a feeling this likeness was long ago spotted. I then realised something.

"I'm Willow and the moron there is Tulip. But, um, sister in law?" I said. I saw the same thing dawn on Tulip as she straightened up slightly from where she was half slouching over the cart. Phoenix looked younger than Crystal. And since I knew them to be soulfinder's from the quick run-down Crystal gave me of the Benedict family, Yves would be pretty young too…

Yves blushed slightly as Phoenix openly laughed. "Man, people's reactions never get old. Yeah, Yves and I got married a bit earlier than most but it feels perfect." She said, leaning back into Yves, a beautiful, indescribable look of love appearing in Yves' eyes at her contact. I have to admit I felt a slight stir of envy in the pit of my stomach but I dismissed it quickly. I did not want what ruined my father. And I had enough going on in my life that I rarely thought of whoever he may be. Lucian and I hooked up a few times but it never really went beyond anything casual, which suited us both fine. Wherever he was, whatever type of person he may be, I firmly believed I would either not meet him or be lucky enough that he had already settled down by the time we met.

"Ok, break it up. My Beauty, I and you two need to help the beautiful ladies with their blinding luggage." Xavier said cheekily as he took a few of Tulips bags from the cart.

"Might be necessary. You were slower pushing that luggage cart through here than Xav waking up in the morning." Crystal said hauling up a few of my dark purple suitcases. After Xavier got over looking offended, Phoenix and Yves picked up a few bags. I grabbed a few and Tulip reluctantly dragged along another bag. On the way out, Yves told me in between juggling McDonald's and luggage, that Will, the fourth brother who had decided to stay in Crystal's spare room at the last minute instead of getting a room mate elsewhere, had been looping the car outside thinking we would be quick. Then he spoke to Yves telepathically to tell him he was parked in the short stay car park literally five minutes before we showed up.

"He was too polite to tell me he was annoyed to have to get us so soon after parking when we spoke" Yves said, a hint of a smile touching the edges of his lips. We had reached the main doors now and they softly hissed open to let us out to the sounds of dozens of cars and buses. I squinted slightly in the sunlight, wishing I had a hand free to shade my eyes. Seeing Xavier squinting through it made me satisfied to know I was not the only one who had forgotten a hat or sunglasses.

Phoenix looked through the sun as best she could and seemed satisfied. "There he is. Beside the black SUV near the tour group taking pictures of the airport. Of all the things they could take pictures of! And with flashes? Are they serious?!"

A tanned man with brown hair highlighted from the sun leaned against a SUV. And somehow I could tell he did not realise how this emphasised his lean torso or the defined muscles in his arms as they were crossed. He immediately uncrossed them as we approached and nearly looked self-conscious as his eyes, a beautiful warmth in their depths, flickered to my face before looking away. Thankfully, my gift stayed in control. I was relieved to find only feelings of frustration and anger seemed to agitate it, not these romantic feelings. I let out a small squeak at this thought. Oh my God, shut up brain! Will's eyes flickered back to me curiously but I suddenly found the pavement extremely interesting.

"Can you open the boot for us Will? I think it pops open when you press a button on the driver side. It should work now after I got the guys at the garage last month to loosen it a bit after dad said it was stiff." Yves said, carefully putting down the luggage beside the vehicle, flexing his fingers as much he could while holding the McDonald's bags. Their scent was starting to get to me now and I hoped he had something for all of us in them.

"Of course." He said, his eyes darting to mine briefly before hurrying around to the driver's side. Eager to be away from his curious eyes and parted with Tulips ridiculously heavy luggage, I hauled myself over to the rear of the vehicle while everyone else picked up whatever they had set down. As I set my stuff down at the back of the SUV I heard an automated pop.

And with that, the boot door slammed into my face with a hard "thwack". And I went out like a light.

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><p><strong>Author person here!<strong>

**Do I know it has been a while since I updated?... Yes...**

**Do I have any good excuse?... Not really though I was trying to introduce a hint of what happens later on in the story. I gave up as there was no way to naturally introduce it. And boy did I try but just no. I did hint at other stuff though, including a certain someone's gift :D.**

**Pretty please review, favourite or follow. It motivates me to update. Just saying... Again :) Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**


	5. Chapter 5

"I swear she's fine. I already healed the cut on her nose and there was no bad internal injury. Hey, I swore already Will!" The voice was hazy and I had no clue whether I was imagining it or not. For all I knew, a light would come on, illuminate this darkness and I would see I was back in Amsterdam or something. At least I remembered I was no longer home… Right? I was in America… Yep. I was. I was hearing American accents. And the sounds of a car engine under me, the car bumping slightly as it drove.

Will muttered something under his breath. His voice was a lovely warm tone and while I hadn't heard what he'd said, it stirred enough in me for me to blink open my eyes. I ended up looking up into Will's anxious eyes, eyes that told conveyed a thousand unspoken worries. "Oh thank God" Will said, running a hand through his hair.

"See, fine" Xavier said. The two of them were on either side of me in the third row of seats in the car. I started to straighten up from the awkward lying position I was in only to get a nice case of head rush. I moaned and began to lie down again but Xavier half propped me up, in an effort to make me comfortable. Will grimaced, the skin around his eyes creasing in worry. He probably noticed how the overwhelming scent of food affected the little in my stomach, tossing it. I could feel the slightly prickly feeling in my face, which I knew meant my face was going to be turning green.

"Oh fuck" I groaned as I nearly doubled over my legs.

As though reading my mind, Will yelled "Pull over Yves! Now!" I more felt the car pulling over than saw it as that sudden jolt really helped the war going on in my stomach. As soon as the car stopped, Will pushed forward the seat and let me out. The somewhat fresh air and the grass on the side of the road instantly improved my stomach. I sat down in the grass and took big gulping breaths, determined not to throw up in front of these practical strangers. That would be a great first impression. Oh yeah, she spewed her guts on the side of the road the first time we met. I think it was lingering smell of Phee's double cheeseburger that set her off.

Tulip came out smiling funnily at me. "Willow, are you still up to the drive? Because when you were conked out and whatnot we pulled into some furniture place and I got us a standing bookshelf and two desks and chairs."

"What does that have to do with anything?" I replied weakly getting to my feet. The ground spun and I nearly grabbed onto Will for balance.

"Well, it is flat packed. Even the chairs. And, well, you are probably the only one here who could put that crap together."

"I was out that long?" I said raising my eyebrows. No one would look me in the eye.

"Hey if you are feeling better I saved you a burger. You can take out the gherkins and onions if you want." Phoenix said as she joined us outside with the foulest smelling burger ever. I could imagine the meat sweating, mixing with the noxious sauces and…. Gherkins.

That was when I threw up.

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><p>"Ok, Will and I will be upstairs helping Xav and Crystal un-pack." Phoenix said, casting me a nervous glance. She leaned against the doorframe to our new apartment and bit her lip.<p>

"Go on. Everything is fine." Yves murmured to her and gave her a quick kiss. I was being treated like I was on the verge of a mental breakdown around Phoenix. I protested that I did not blame her for my up-chucking even though it was pretty obvious that thing she called food caused all the junk I ate on the plane to make a re-appearance. It was probably better to not have all that processed crap sitting in my stomach anyway I told her at one point in the car journey. Then I remembered all the McDonalds sitting in everyone else's stomachs. I just gave up after that.

I sighed and twisted in the final screw to make the new bookshelf. With the way everyone eyed the mini manual for it with its complicated looking pictures, you would swear it was a manual on how to build a nuclear reactor. I simply flicked through the book and set to work. I could hear Tulip swearing as she tried to get her desk together in the end room. I had the room just off the kitchen/ living room while Tulips was further down the hall nearer the bathroom we would share.

"Yves, can you help me move this over there?" I said gesturing to a spot a few feet from the front door. He had been flicking through a book on sustainable energy I had brought. Blushing slightly, he nodded and helped me drag/ pull the bookshelf over.

"You know." He said, shifting to adjust his glasses. "It might have been better to build this over there. Who knew a seventy dollar book shelf would be so hard to move?"

I just bit my lip. Do not get angry, do not get angry, it is a valid point, it is, really I said internally. "Yeah." I said to the floor just as my phone began to ring. "Oops. Got to get that." I said letting go of the book shelf. Hastily Yves moved to get a better grip to stop it falling. I smiled a selfish smile and answered.

"Hello Willow."

"Dad." I said too sharply. Yves turned his head to me in question. I silently cursed using the word dad when he was only by blood. Blood mattered little to me now. "What are you doing calling?"

"I called Marianna, your "mother", not so long ago and she said you were going to America until Christmas! Why outside of Europe? You know no one there."

"You can choose to study abroad for a few months for college." I said to the floor as I picked at the edge of the small round dinner table that came with the apartment. "And I know a girl here. Crystal and her boyfriend Xavier and some of his family. And mom," I said with emphasis. "Met Crystal before and Tulip is here too."

"You know these names mean nothing to me." He said, a hint of annoyance lacing into his words. "Crystal could be a stripper for all I know. And this Xavier her-"

"Crystal Brook and Xavier Benedict are very respectable people." I snapped, walking into my room. No point in Yves hearing the turn this conversation was taking. "Not that that is any of your concern."

My dad, or Colin who I should refer to him as, exhaled sharply. Then there was silence for a few seconds. "Benedict? The crime fighting American savant family?"

"Yeah?" I replied confused as to where this was going. "Brought down some big crime guys a while ago but I am not really up to date on savant news."

"Ah, yes, I have heard of their work." He said tonelessly. "Good to know them."

"Okay" I dragged out slowly. "Well, is there a reason for this call?"

"Ah, I was just surprised to hear you were in America. I was going to be visiting some associates a hundred or so kilometres from your town and I thought I would come for a visit. Drop off an early Christmas present."

Latching onto anything to make this sound more like a father-daughter call I practically squealed "Ooh! What did ya get me?"

He gave me a dry half laugh. "All in good time. Can you give me your address? I might send you a few things from my travels."

Knowing I would get no information on what these "travels" entailed I told him it and after a few pleasantries, I hung up. I sat down on the mattress in my bare room, pardon for some suitcases and basic furniture, and sighed, only realising then all the tension in my body and how tired I was. I rolled my shoulders and interlaced my fingers as I stretched out my arms. My father and I had last spoken at the very start of the summer and it looked like my body had forgotten again the inexplicable tension talking to father brought on from time to time. Since I could not hear the bookcase being moved in the main living area, I went out to check on Yves' progress. As soon as I came out, I saw him hastily start to flick through a book that had been already open on the breakfast counter. I raised an eyebrow as he looked up and gave me a small guilty smile.

I let out a loud breath trying to fill the heavy silence, yawning as I did. Yves began to open his mouth just as Tulip strolled in with her mobile in one hand. "Crystal called saying Xav and Will found some things that might be handy in their attic. And the attic seems to be sectioned off so it is not like we are stealing from other residents. Who wants to go up and grab us some goodies?"

"I will." I blurted. Yves mouthed "sorry" as Tulip turned to leave.

"Great. If there is wine or liquor up there, keep it for us. Ugh, I wish I could have brought some of mom's collection." Tulip sighed dramatically over her shoulder.

Yves began his apology properly but barely got a word out before Tulip screamed from the end of the hall "Clark Kent. Turn into superman and kill this fucking spider for me ASAP!"

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><p><strong>The author person here!<strong>

**Not a terribly exciting chapter, I know, but it picks up soon. I do actually have a story in mind (it might change, Who knows?) so this is not just me aimlessly writing chapters (I think/hope/pray). ****I have actually just finished writing chapter 8. Have a plan for 9. I really cannot wait to get to ten (!).**

**While I am not expecting a dozen new reviews/follows/favourites or anything every time I check "Winning Willow", it would be nice to get a few!**

**Next three reviewers get reviews on a piece of theirs? I seriously just want to know are all you silent readers liking this! Thanks for reading :)**


	6. Chapter 6

The one flight of stairs tired me out. I slumped into the railings and half pushed myself upward, each step slow and sluggish. Shit, this was how I was going to die. I was going to pass out from tiredness, fall down the stairs and break my neck. Maybe if I danced up the stairs I would stay awake. I just opened my mouth to start singing a tune to dance to when I realised I must be slaphappy tired now. Ok, you seriously should have gone for a nap like Tulip did in the car. Err, you were conked out for most of that so you should be fine. No way, being conked out is not the same!

"Oh God, I am arguing with myself!" I wailed out loud. "And talking to stairs!"

That gave me enough energy to dash up the last few steps and round the corner to the open door of Xav and Crystal's apartment. There was little difference between our apartments except for the door to the attic being in the middle of the hall's ceiling just to the left of the main kitchen/ living area. Xavier had practically pulled us upstairs as soon as we got here to show off this badly placed attic door. He admitted it was "as hard as hell" to open and when he finally got it open a day or two ago, he was knocked onto his arse as the ladder flew down. He pretty much only told us as Crystal would have anyway.

I could see Crystal, Will and Xav as they stood at the bottom of the pull down ladder. Crystal turned and smiled. "Hey. I told the guys to not take anything before you got here. They were literally up there ten seconds to see a load of boxes and random crap before I ordered them down."

"It was like she cancelled Christmas." Xav said miserably. I could see a mischievous gleam in his eyes though. I had a feeling he was going to make Crystal "pay" later. "I had to change out of my Jack & Jones jeans though. The dust up there is just ugh!"

"I swear with every day that passes, he becomes more the girl and less the guy in this relationship." Crystal laughed. She leaned up slightly and gave Xav a quick kiss on the lips. "Come on. You lot need to head up."

"You're not coming up?" I said surprised.

Crystal just smirked. "You seriously think I would go up there? This building is not exactly new and that ceiling creaked like a broken door when Xav was up there on his own let alone with you guys there too!"

Will, silent up until now, frowned. "I will stay down then."

"No, the show pony here can settle down and help me unpack some things. And he brought down a few bits he shoved into his pants already so he lost his shot at getting another look."

"How did you see that?! It was just a watch and some cufflinks!"

Crystal just took him by the arm and led him down the hall saying "Do you really want to be healing my friend and your brother if they fall through the ceiling because of your fat ass?"

And so Will and I looked at each. He looked down and I felt my skin flush in his presence. He had such an unassuming, calm and quiet character that it contrasted interestingly with his beautiful exterior. I realised after a few seconds that I was just staring at him like a complete idiot. Smiling at me, making it harder still to stop looking at him like I was brain dead, he gestured to the ladder. "After you Willow." He said, my name sounding new to me from his mouth. I could have been wrong but he seemed to like saying my name as much as I enjoyed hearing it from him.

"Okay." I replied and pulled myself up the ladder, carefully avoiding Will's hand as he kept the ladder steady. I was already acting like a twat. If I was not careful I would lose twenty IQ points within the next two minutes.

Once I had pulled myself in, I heard the ladder creak under Will's weight. Grunting he pulled himself in, kicking the ladder. With a loud bang, it fell and crashed into the floor. The attic door automatically swung in fast, no longer burdened by the ladders weight, and slammed shut. I shrieked and had to force myself not to jump with fear. "Fuck." I squeaked as Will rolled back away from the door. From the tiny window, I could just about see his anxious expression. Glancing over to me he nodded towards the wall that separated the roof spaces.

"Turn on the light switch behind you." He said calmly. At least one of us was trying to be calm. I scrambled over on all fours and found the light after hastily pawing the wall. With an old fashioned "clack" the switch turned on a single bare bulb attached to a wooden beam no more than a foot or two above our heads.

He carefully slid back to the small door and swore at what he saw. Swearing sounded so odd coming from him I had to admit. Embarrassingly, it sounded very good coming from him also and I shook my head to dispel the thoughts. My long, blonde hair danced in front of me and I realised how fitting dumb blonde jokes would be right now. And how I should tie my hair up. The amount of dust we uprooted was unreal and a lot was catching in my curly mop.

Bringing myself back to reality I looked at Will, or more like the back of his head as he was bent over the door, pulling and yanking at its edges. "What is wrong?" I said nervously. Hearing my nerves, he looked back to me, forgetting the door however briefly.

"This door does not open from the inside. A stupid, idiotic design." He said, growing angrier.

"Hey guys, what happened? Will, Willow?" I heard Crystal say. Neither Will nor I had heard them run out to the loud crash of the ladder. I could hear Phoenix talking quietly with Xav so it looked like we had a freaking party out in the hall.

"The ladder disconnected and I cannot open this shagging door from here." Will half yelled down to them.

"Give me a sec and I shall be your saviour." Xav yelled back and I heard the scraping of the ladder being moved. About ten seconds later we both nearly jumped with fright as a loud "thwack!" reverberated through the walls and into the attic floor. "Ok, maybe not." Xav yelled. "There is nothing to balance it on Will."

Groaning Will sat back and rubbed his hands down his face. I heard the quick, light footsteps of Phoenix head off and come back seconds later. "I got a broom. I might be able to push the door back for you guys enough. By the way, where did you get a broom covered in hula girls Xav?"

"I bought it and matching towels and dishcloths for him. I figured it might motivate Xav to use them on occasion." Crystal said, clearly pleased with herself.

This time I groaned and sat back beside Will. "Our fate lies in the hands of a girl who likes hula girls, another who thought buying them would be a good idea and a guy they clearly suit."

Will could only laugh dryly, resting his arms on his knees that were bent up to his chest. "My family for ya ladies and gentlemen."

We listened to the scrape of the broom top as it tried every possible way to push open the door. After five minutes they gave up, causing Phoenix to start muttering under her breath. It was probably wishful thinking hoping a measly hula girl covered broom could get an ancient, stiff attic door open. Even though it had been no more than fifteen minutes, I was getting sick of this small space fast. The light bulb flickered above causing Will to look up in surprise. I sighed. "I control electricity currents and I can produce them too. Sometimes when I 'lose it'," I said using air quotes, "It affects currents without me trying. I thought I had it under control. Apparently not." I said, muttering the last two words.

"Interesting." Will mused. "I can sense danger."

"I guess your spidey sense does not pick up starving-from-being-trapped-in-an-attic-for-the-rest-of-our-lives danger?"

"Nah. Pretty handy when you live in our family though."

"I would imagine." I said humourlessly. Fighting off my growing petrified hatred of the attic, I shifted over to the nearest cardboard box and started rooting. I caught Will looking at me. "Who knows how long it will take for them to just call the dang emergency services? Might as well try to find something."

Will shrugged and pulled the closest box on his lap. Satisfied I resumed poking through my box. It was full of girly stuff. Hardback novels, a few scarves and gloves and costume jewellery. In delight, I sifted through the mess of obviously cheap, outdated jewellery. Will coughed and I glanced up.

"What the hell is on your face?!" I said. Pulling my box of goodies over with me, I plonked myself down in front of Will. He had some black crap smeared on his chin and upper lip.

"I think I should grow it out like this." He mused out loud, pretending to stroke his mad goatee. Leaning forward, I ran a thumb down the curly tipped moustache. It smeared down like I predicted. Only I forgot it would go down onto his lips. I hastily drew back my hand and became very occupied in rooting through the jewellery. In an attempt to cool the heat nearly visible in the attic air, I plucked up what felt like a ring. I was about to open my mouth to insist, no matter what it looked like, that is was the most gorgeous thing I had ever seen. Only I stopped with my mouth open like a baby bird's when I saw the ring itself.

"Wow." I said softly. It was a beautiful ring, smooth, glistening silver that seemed to caress the jewels in the centre. It looked like the stone, with the softest hints of pink, blue and green in it was holding another stone in an embrace nearly with smaller stones disappearing into the silver on either side. If this was costume jewellery, it was divine.

Will shifted closer and softly whistled under his breath. "It is incredible. You found that in there?"

I could only nod, my hair falling into my face. Slowly Will brushed it back, carefully as though my hair was fragile, with his long fingers. I focused on the ring, trying to ignore the stirring in my stomach. With that hand, he slowly moved to hold my hand that held the ring out. The silence was thick and heavy yet not oppressive. More like a thick blanket you wrapped yourself in on a winters evening.

It could have been hours before I moved. Careful not to break into the mood hanging in the air, I began to put the ring onto one of my fingers and Will helped push it down gently. It fit like a silk glove. I finally met Will's eyes to my side. The silence grew heavier.

Go figure that is when I hear Crystal yell "For fucks sake Xav. You can practically reach it! How hard is it to open. Is it rocket science?!"

"No, it is attic science, a much more complicated science Einstein could not even master Crystal!"

"Shut up!" Phoenix screamed causing Will and me to jump apart, cracking the tension. "Give me the landlord's number now!"

What seemed like mere seconds later, I heard numerous sets of footsteps run into the apartment below. "What was all the shouting about?" I heard Yves and Tulip say over one another. Mortifyingly, I heard numerous un-familiar voices, tenants within earshot of Phoenix's screech most likely. Mere minutes later, the landlord, emergency services and pretty much the entire apartment building could be heard in the apartment below.

"Willow, we will get ye down soon. You too Will." I heard Tulip yell.

I slumped into Will's shoulder. "I have officially died of embarrassment."

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><p><strong>The author person has updated... <strong>

**I know I am somewhat un-predictable updating and sorry for that. I decided a new chapter to celebrate a new month :)**

**Thanks xxx-benedictbrothersfan-xxx, OMGIluvreading, LittleLily99, NativeofJune, theblueshadow99, whatmathlike, dropsofjupiter1999 and all the guest reviewers for your lovely reviews!  
><strong>

**I have decided to leave a hint for the next chapter... It involves underwear...**

**Review, follow whatever you wish! Hope you had a great Halloween, I did ;D**


	7. Chapter 7

Amazingly, it took the emergency services a solid half hour before they pried the attic door open. And then the door refused to close again once they got Will and me down. I heard Crystal saying she better go buy duct tape to keep it up until someone came to either fix the wretched door or replace it. I think we were all praying for it to be replaced. I know I was.

After another half hour of neighbours and emergency people reassuring themselves Will and I were fine, they left with Crystal thanking them for their concern through her teeth. "Bloody nosey wankers." She spat. "All they want to do is look concerned and get details for a story to tell their fecking book clubs later."

While Xav calmed her down, the rest of us took the hint to go back to unpacking. Since we were up there, Tulip and I decided to help out. I think we both knew that due to knowing pretty much no one here we would have plenty of spare time tonight to unpack our own stuff later. "True." Tulip said throwing herself down onto the burnt orange sofa in the main living room. "But it tells us not to be bothered to get to know the lot of them now. At least I can cut down the amount of introductions I have to make now to just a few thousand in college."

"Yeah cupcake," Xav said, wrapping his arms around her from behind. "Are you not glad now we did not bother visit any of them in the days we've been here?"

Unable to resist Xav's charm, Crystal smiled a genuine smile. "Yeah. So Yves and Phee, can you guys help me unpack in Xav's and my room? Willow, you said you guys were helping out, yeah?"

I nodded while Tulip seemed to barely notice Crystal's existence. "Ok, Willow, can you help Will unpack in his room. And Tulip, can you unpack the bags in the bathroom?"

I nodded again. Then I registered something. Crystal had just confirmed Will was staying. I have to admit, I was disgusted with the little flutter of happiness in my stomach from someone else confirming he was staying here.

"Thanks Willow." Will said as he came out from the bathroom. I had gone in just before him to get the dust and cobwebs off my hair and clothes, which Will had probably just spent the last ten minutes doing. "I decided to do a post grad up here. Since I graduated early, I figured why not? And Xav and Crystal were coming here and so on…." He trailed off simply shrugging his shoulders.

I decided to hide that I was impressed he was already graduated in something. As far as I could tell, there could not be any more than a year between us, if that. No need for this extremely handsome Benedict to get an ego as big as Xavier's. Xav was still dressed like he had strolled off a catwalk while the rest of us were in sweats to unpack. Huh, I guess he and Crystal were better suited than I thought.

"Ok, we better get going." I said and Will made a grand gesture with his arms, as though to say "ladies first" down the corridor. I barely registered Crystal trying to pull Tulip up from the couch, with Tulip whining miserably. It always amazed me how quickly Tulip became herself around new people. Yves and Phoenix were squabbling over whether to just leave the two of them at it or intervene before it got ugly.

"You might as well." Xav called out as he leaned against the kitchen countertop. "I have a feeling Tulip is as stubborn as Crystal. If so, we could be here a while." Xav seemed way too pleased at that thought until Crystal threw him a withering glare "Actually I should probably start without my very forgiving and loving Beauty."

I stifled a giggle, letting my hair fall around my face as I walked off ahead of Will, who mouthed "whipped" over his shoulder to his brother. I glanced behind me to see Xav's eyes turn into slits over this.

"Quick in, in, in!" Will said, half-pushing me into his room, the one closest to the kitchen, and slamming the door shut quickly. A spilt second later, the door vibrated with a heavy "thunk".

"Orange?" Will yelled to his door.

"Apple this time." Yves called back. "Did you not see the bowl of 'em?"

"Close enough." Will said. I raised an eyebrow when he looked back around. He smiled, biting his bottom lip as he looked at me. "What good is there having a whipped brother if you cannot tease the shit out of him for being that way?"

"Good point." I said, pretending to think it through seriously as I rubbed my chin in thought. I stopped mid chin stroke as I actually looked at Will's room. "Oh Christ Will. Was not one of you bothered unpack at all?"

I found myself in a rather small space of clear floor by his bedroom door. Except for the clean sheets on the bed and one box spilling a few t-shirts, nothing was unpacked. A sad little desk sat tucked in the far corner by one of two narrow windows. The bed was beside the other window with a wardrobe set a few inches away from the door. But the rest of the space was filled with boxes and random bags.

"Err, well…." Will said, rubbing his head. He ruffled up his hair and I thought absentmindedly "now that is how you do the messy look. Sexy style". Oh geese. Shut. Up. Brain. I could feel my face warm up.

"Screw it." I said, then mentally dying at my choice of words. I further got warmer. "Let's start" I said grabbing a box and tearing into it. I officially asked for death when I came out with a handful of boxers. This could not get any worse.

"Here, let me do those." Will said, laughing awkwardly.

"Sure. Yep." I said like I was high. I then handed him that handful and then instead of handing him the box, I proceeded to take out the rest of his underwear and hand him it. I froze after shoving him a fourth handful. Groaning, I slumped over the box. "Just point me to a safe box." I said, my voice muffling through the box and a curtain of my hair.

"That might be best." Will said, now actually laughing as he put the underwear down on his bed. He pointed to a large box beside the wardrobe. "If you can handle jeans and shirts, try that box."

I nodded mutely and began to open up the box with caution as Will tried to distract himself by sorting through the rest of the underwear box. I had a sour feeling that embarrassing myself was going to become my new hobby, not mastering mandarin Chinese, while I was in New York.

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><p>After a few hours, where most breaks in silence were one of us getting up to get some drinks or snacks, we were pretty much finished. I was dying for a shower to remove the last of the attic's dust and the general grunginess I felt after the long day. I kept my distance from Will as much as I could, though I had to admit his presence gave me a sweet, warm feeling I tried in vain to ignore. The weight of the ring I found in the attic refused to let me be without his presence for even a split second.<p>

When Will stood up from organising boxes under his bed, he stretched, his joints popping and he let out a satisfied sigh. Looking over at me as I tidied up he smiled lazily. "You might want to stretch. It feels amazing." He sighed, rolling back his head and moving it from side to side. I stood up, wobbling slightly from having been kneeling for so long. I stretched and half laughed/ groaned.

"Geese, you got that right." I sighed. "Next thing is a shower and ah shit!"

Will looked over to me in alarm. "What?"

"I still have to unpack. No point in showering before then."

Will rumpled his brow in thought. "I thought Crystal, Xav and Tulip went down an hour or two ago. They had actually unpacked a bit more than me." He said sheepishly, playing with the end of the bedspread.

"A bit more than you?! Ok, that would only make sense if you had unpacked at all!"

"I did unpack." Will said distractedly looking around his room. "I unpacked the clothes I have on." He said triumphantly.

I rolled my eyes. "Well let's go see did they unpack any of my stuff. If not, we have plans for the rest of the night."

Once we got down to my apartment, I could hear the music before I even opened the door. With Will behind me, we both entered to discover Tulip dramatically singing the chorus of "Human" by Christina Perri. She was kneeling on the hardwood floors with her head flung back screech-singing into a can of deodorant. Even when she noticed us dumbfounded by the door, she continued to sing (sort of) but got off her knees came over and took my hand as she sang (ok, let's face it. Dogs would howl at her voice. You could barely call it singing).

Xav wandered in from the hall and raised an eyebrow. "I knew I heard an addition to that delightful song."

"Oh hush up." Crystal said coming up from behind him. She turned to me. "I unpacked most of your stuff. Clothes, books but I left a bag or two with stuff you might want to do yourself." Noticing my surprise she simply said "Tulip said you would be cool with it. Kill me not her if you hate it." as she went to pick up her apartment keys off the kitchen table.

"Let's head Xav and relieve Yves and Phee upstairs. They might be bored as they have to be long done."

"Oh they finished a long time ago cupcake." Xav said as he led her out.

"Then what are….. Never mind. We can just yell they can go to their hotel. I am not going looking for those bunnies."

"Oh Tulip, tell Willow the plans. See you guys tomorrow." Crystal called and shut the door behind her.

Tulip finally straightened up into a normal pose and wandered over to her iPod dock to change song. My ears were already starting to ring from the volume. "Oh yeah, we are heading out tomorrow. Crystal found some crazy cool nightclub to welcome us to America. It even has a karaoke part to it." Tulip said with delight.

I could just about hear Will saying "Oh shit" behind me as I tried to say something positive about that news.

"Great." I said through a grimace. Thankfully Tulip was heading off down the hall. I took that as a sign I could unplug her iPod dock. I might have to google how to limit the volume on this thing. If I could limit the speed a car could go, I was sure this would be a piss easy to tamper with.

I could hear coughing and I glanced over to Will. He was rocking back on his heels with his lips tightly pressed. When the door clicked behind Tulip he burst out laughing. He actually clutched his stomach and I could only smile. He seemed to become the person he was in private: completely and totally unselfconscious.

Noticing me he pushed back his hair and managed to get out "We have to go out tomorrow, let lovely Tulip sing and say we know her. Are we making a good impression on New York or what?"

"Shall we convene for breakfast tomorrow morning and plan some way to make the whole club deaf or her hoarse by then?"

Will opened his mouth to reply as Tulip wandered out in her pyjama shorts and tank top, her fluffy slippers shuffling along the wooden floor. He smartly stayed quiet as she looked at the two of us through narrowed eyes. Her eyes moved from me to him and then back.

There was a moment of silence. "No boys can be in your room after eleven Willow. K?"

I forgot to correct her stupid use of text language as I flushed a deep red, bending my head forward to hide my face. Before either Will or I could start flat out denying anything, Tulip waltzed over to her IPod dock and pressed play. "Rydian told me to tell you that. He text me and I was not going to say anything until someone turned off my music." Tulip said frowning. Then she perked up. "It is only ten or so now so have fun kids!" she cackled as she sauntered off in evil delight.

"I think we might have to discuss more than just making her hoarse." Will muttered. I could only agree.

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><p><strong>Author person has come back!<strong>

**Sorry, I very stupidly decided to myself I would not upload until I finished chapter nine. Argh, trying to fit what I wanted into that chapter was very hard so I am not making silly promises like that to myself again. I was also too busy. Grrr. Life. Then I had to go edit this chapter. And I hope you liked it! (fave, follow or review if you did :D ) At least this is the longest chapter yet.**

**I also started a new story called "Giving Gold". Check it out if you have a minute and tell me what you think! **

**Now... hint for the next chapter? The reason why Will never let Crystal find him his soulfinder :D**


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